Tea Party activists gather on Capitol Hill for a 'Hold the Line' rally. (Getty Images)

(Newser)
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The Democrats are getting their butts kicked in the debt debate because conservatives have a big, easily communicated idea and Dems don't, writes Eugene Robinson for the Washington Post. The GOP's idea—which is, in Robinson's opinion, a terrible one—is that "taxes are always too high and government spending is always wasteful," he writes. The House, Senate, and White House are working within parameters defined by that idea and everybody appears to have accepted the result: raising the debt ceiling must be tied to spending cuts.

Democrats should take back control of the debate by expressing its argument for government's role in securing America's future in a way that "fits neatly on a bumper sticker," Robinson argues. Because here's the reality: "People may dislike paying taxes, but they dislike unemployment more," Robinson writes. "Progressives should talk about bringing the nation back to full employment and healthy growth—and how this requires an adequately funded government to play a major role." Instead of talking about "winning the future," Democrats should simply say "jobs, jobs, jobs."

Its not "debt", its the "debt to GDP ratio". If you shrink the debt but shrink the GDP even more, you're screwed because your tax revenues go DOWN because of all those new people out of work. Sort of a REVERSE Reaganomics. What we really need to do is get more bang for the buck while not reducing spending. That raises GDP and GROWS us out of debt. That is very hard to do.

Count-Spatula

Jul 29, 2011 6:36 PM CDT

Exactly ...and if Obama is so fucking smart, why hasn't he figured this out? This stuffed shirt talks and talks and talks. Hand him a supermajority and he fucks around.

Arthurpa

Jul 29, 2011 2:58 PM CDT

"this requires an adequately funded government to play a major role" So he is saying "BIG GOVERNMENT" will solve this problem. He means Big Control into you everyday life. Let the government run everything, ummmm didn't Russia try that. Look how that turned out..............